


A Little Complicated

by RobinsonsWereHere



Category: Psych (TV 2006)
Genre: Abigail deserves better, Apologetic Jules, Awkward Conversations, Canon Divergence, Episode: s03e16 An Evening With Mr. Yang, F/M, Near Infidelity, Shawn is a dumbass, better safe than sorry, idk if i should tag for that but
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 14:04:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21459256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinsonsWereHere/pseuds/RobinsonsWereHere
Summary: In the drive-in, Juliet takes a chance. Shawn tries to walk away. Abigail, simply confused about why popcorn is taking so long, walks in on something she wishes she hadn't.
Relationships: Abigail Lytar/Shawn Spencer, Juliet O'Hara/Shawn Spencer
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	A Little Complicated

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Howlingdawn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Howlingdawn/gifts).

> I'm rewatching the Yin Yang trilogy but I mentioned this idea to Dawn and she said to go for it...

Shawn stares at Juliet, feeling as though he’s going through all the stages of grief in about ten seconds. She’s moving closer to him, and her hands cover his on the tray, and just that simple touch burns him. He burns for her, and from the look in her eyes, she feels the same. But he can’t so a damn thing about it.

Juliet gently takes the tray from his hands. “I guess what I’m saying is, I think you deserve more than popcorn tonight…” she sets the food aside. “So why don’t you let me take you to dinner?”

Shawn tries to make his voice work, really, he does. But his mouth won’t form words and _Juliet’s_ mouth looks so soft and kissable and this is all spectacularly horrible timing but she’s leaning in and if she closes the gap completely he’s not going to be responsible for what happens next--

“Shawn?” Abigail’s voice rings through the room, and he stiffens, a pit forming in his stomach. “Do you need help, you’re taking a while-- wait, Juliet!?”

Shawn finally turns to face the girl he’s actually on a date with, sure that his guilt is written all over his face. “Abigail,” he manages.

Juliet gets a crease between her brows. “Abigail?”

“Hi, Juliet,” Abigail says warily. “What a… surprise.” She looks back at Shawn, and he actually manages to meet her gaze. “Shawn? Do you wanna… explain what’s happening here?”

Shawn is still trying to process Jules asking him out to dinner. “I have no idea what’s happening here.”

Abigail steps forward, looking very confused and a bit pissed. “Really? Because see, to me, it looks like you and I are supposed to be, you know, on a date, but instead you're here with Juliet, and now, I could be wrong, I could be reading too much into this situation, so stop me whenever you feel like it, but it sort of looked like you were about to kiss her.”

Shawn really doesn’t know how to answer that. “I, uh…”

Juliet steps back into view now, horror and shock written over her features. “Wait, Shawn, are you on a date?”

“Um.” he swallows. “Yes. I am.”

Abigail folds her arms. “You won’t be for very much longer unless I hear a really good explanation.”

Shawn opens his mouth to speak, then closes it again. “Um, I-- well, uh, Jules asked me out? I think?” He turns to face Juliet. “Is that where you were going with that?”

Juliet is bright red, the picture of mortification. “Well, yes, but I-- I didn’t know-- Abigail, I am so sorry, if I had known you and Shawn were going out I would never have said a thing.”

Abigail nods slowly. “So, this is just a badly timed misunderstanding?”

“Yeah,” Shawn manages, though he sounds hoarse. “Yeah. I wasn’t… Jules and I weren’t…” his mouth has gone dry and he can’t stop thinking about how Juliet had looked at him, how she’d leaned in… “I’m sorry,” he manages. “I know this, uh, looks shitty.”

“It _is_ shitty,” she corrects.

“Yeah. That.” Shawn rubs a hand over the back of his neck.

The three of them stand in silence, no one willing to make eye contact. Abigail shoves her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. Juliet chews her bottom lip. Shawn stares blankly at the floor and wonders how the hell he gets himself into these situations.

“I should go,” Juliet says suddenly, sliding past Shawn and heading for the door.

And then, Shawn does possibly the only thing that could make the situation worse. Maybe it’s reflex, maybe habit, maybe some deep-seated desire of his heart, but whatever the cause, he reaches for her, his fingers catching her sleeve. “Jules, wait--”

She turns to look at him like a deer in headlights, and he can’t look away from her but in his peripheral vision he sees Abigail go stiff, and he knows he’s somehow screwed up even more. “I’m--” he clears his throat. “I’m, uh, sorry I snapped at you.”

“Thanks,” she murmurs, looking down. Shawn realizes he should probably let go of her hand. As soon as he does, she practically runs from the building without another word.

“Shawn,” Abigail says, sounding very tired, “you don’t want to be here anymore, do you?”

“What? Of course I do!” Shawn grins, but it’s forced. “Look, Abs, let’s just take this popcorn and go watch a movie, it’ll be the date to end all dates--”

She shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

He tries to laugh. “Why-- why not?”

Abigail smiles sadly and shakes her head. “Because the whole time, you’ll be wishing I was her. For tonight, for the next date, for however long we might try to make this last. And I don’t want to be a consolation prize.”

Shawn swallows hard and nods. “I’m sorry, Abigail. I didn’t mean to… I didn’t mean for this to go the way it did.”

She snorts. “That much is obvious.” And then, carefully, she stands and kisses him on the cheek.

Shawn doesn’t have the energy to do anything but watch as she walks away.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this little ficlet! If you did, leave a comment or kudos, or come find me at trixiesfranklin on tumblr!


End file.
